Excel 2007 PivotTables Recipes

Transcription

1 Excel 2007 PivotTables Recipes A Problem-Solution Approach Debra Dalgleish

2 Excel 2007 PivotTables Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach Copyright 2007 by Debra Dalgleish All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher. ISBN-13 (pbk): ISBN-10 (pbk): Printed and bound in the United States of America Trademarked names may appear in this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use the names only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. Lead Editor: Tom Welsh Technical Reviewer: Roger Govier Editorial Board: Steve Anglin, Ewan Buckingham, Tony Campbell, Gary Cornell, Jonathan Gennick, Jason Gilmore, Kevin Goff, Jonathan Hassell, Matthew Moodie, Joseph Ottinger, Jeffrey Pepper, Ben Renow-Clarke, Dominic Shakeshaft, Matt Wade, Tom Welsh Project Manager: Beth Christmas Copy Editor: Marcia Baker Associate Production Director: Kari Brooks-Copony Production Editor: Katie Stence Compositor: Linda Weidemann, Wolf Creek Press Proofreader: Liz Welch Indexer: Brenda Miller Artist: April Milne Cover Designer: Kurt Krames Manufacturing Director: Tom Debolski Distributed to the book trade worldwide by Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., 233 Spring Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY Phone SPRINGER, fax , orders-ny@springer-sbm.com, or visit For information on translations, please contact Apress directly at 2855 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 600, Berkeley, CA Phone , fax , info@apress.com, or visit The information in this book is distributed on an as is basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author(s) nor Apress shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this work. The source code for this book is available to readers at

3 Contents at a Glance About the Author...xiii About the Technical Reviewer....xv Acknowledgments...xvii Introduction....xix CHAPTER 1 Creating a Pivot Table...1 CHAPTER 2 Sorting and Filtering Pivot Table Data...21 CHAPTER 3 Calculations in a Pivot Table...41 CHAPTER 4 Formatting a Pivot Table...71 CHAPTER 5 Grouping and Totaling Pivot Table Data CHAPTER 6 Modifying a Pivot Table CHAPTER 7 Updating a Pivot Table CHAPTER 8 Pivot Table Security, Limits, and Performance CHAPTER 9 Printing and Extracting Pivot Table Data CHAPTER 10 Pivot Charts CHAPTER 11 Programming a Pivot Table INDEX iii

4 Contents About the Author...xiii About the Technical Reviewer....xv Acknowledgments...xvii Introduction....xix CHAPTER 1 Creating a Pivot Table Planning a Pivot Table: Getting Started Planning a Shared Pivot Table Preparing the Source Data: Using Excel Data Preparing the Source Data: Creating an Excel Table Preparing the Source Data: Excel Field Names Not Valid Preparing the Source Data: Using Filtered Excel Data Preparing the Source Data: Using an Excel Table with Monthly Columns Preparing the Source Data: Using an Access Query Preparing the Source Data: Using a Text File Preparing the Source Data: Using an OLAP Cube Creating the Pivot Table: Using Excel Data as the Source Creating the Pivot Table: Using Excel Data on Separate Sheets Creating the Pivot Table: Using the PivotTable Field List Creating the Pivot Table: Changing the Field List Order...20 CHAPTER 2 Sorting and Filtering Pivot Table Data Sorting a Pivot Field: Sorting Row Labels Sorting a Pivot Field: New Items Out of Order Sorting a Pivot Field: Sorting Items Left to Right Sorting a Pivot Field: Sorting Items in a Custom Order Sorting a Pivot Field: Items Won t Sort Correctly Filtering a Pivot Field: Filtering Row Label Text...28 v

5 vi CONTENTS 2.7. Filtering a Pivot Field: Applying Multiple Filters to a Field Filtering a Pivot Field: Filtering Row Label Dates Filtering a Pivot Field: Filtering Values for Row Fields Filtering a Pivot Field: Filtering for Nonconsecutive Dates Filtering a Pivot Field: Including New Items in a Manual Filter Filtering a Pivot Field: Filtering by Selection Filtering a Pivot Field: Filtering for Top Items Using Report Filters: Hiding Report Filter Items Using Report Filters: Filtering for a Date Range Using Report Filters: Filtering for Future Dates...38 CHAPTER 3 Calculations in a Pivot Table Using Summary Functions: Defaulting to Sum or Count Using Summary Functions: Counting Blank Cells Using Custom Calculations: Difference From Using Custom Calculations: % Of Using Custom Calculations: % Difference From Using Custom Calculations: Running Total Using Custom Calculations: % of Row Using Custom Calculations: % of Column Using Custom Calculations: % of Total Using Custom Calculations: Index Using Formulas: Calculated Field vs. Calculated Item Using Formulas: Adding Items With a Calculated Item Using Formulas: Modifying a Calculated Item Using Formulas: Removing a Calculated Item Using Formulas: Using Index Numbers in a Calculated Item Using Formulas: Modifying a Calculated Item Formula in Cell Using Formulas: Creating a Calculated Field Using Formulas: Modifying a Calculated Field Using Formulas: Removing a Calculated Field Using Formulas: Determining the Type of Formula Using Formulas: Adding a Calculated Item to a Field with Grouped Items Using Formulas: Calculating the Difference Between Amounts....64

6 CONTENTS vii Using Formulas: Correcting the Grand Total for a Calculated Field Using Formulas: Calculated Field Count of Unique Items Using Formulas: Correcting Results in a Calculated Field Using Formulas: Listing All Formulas Using Formulas: Accidentally Creating a Calculated Item Using Formulas: Solve Order...68 CHAPTER 4 Formatting a Pivot Table Using PivotTable Styles: Applying a Predefined Format Using PivotTable Styles: Removing a PivotTable Style Using PivotTable Styles: Changing the Default Style Using PivotTable Styles: Creating a Custom Style Using PivotTable Styles: Copying a Custom Style to a Different Workbook Using Themes: Impacting PivotTable Styles Using the Enable Selection Option Losing Formatting When Refreshing the Pivot Table Hiding Error Values on Worksheet Showing Zero in Empty Values Cells Hiding Buttons and Labels Applying Conditional Formatting: Using a Color Scale Applying Conditional Formatting: Using an Icon Set Applying Conditional Formatting: Using Bottom 10 Items Applying Conditional Formatting: Formatting Cells Between Two Values Applying Conditional Formatting: Formatting Labels in a Date Period Applying Conditional Formatting: Using Data Bars Applying Conditional Formatting: Changing the Data Range Applying Conditional Formatting: Changing the Order of Rules Removing Conditional Formatting Creating Custom Number Formats in the Source Data Changing the Report Layout...93

7 viii CONTENTS Increasing the Row Labels Indentation Repeating Row Labels Separating Field Items with Blank Rows Centering Field Labels Vertically Changing Alignment for Merged Labels Displaying Line Breaks in Pivot Table Cells Freezing Heading Rows Applying Number Formatting to Report Filter Fields Displaying Hyperlinks Changing Subtotal Label Text Formatting Date Field Subtotal Labels Changing the Grand Total Label Text CHAPTER 5 Grouping and Totaling Pivot Table Data Grouping: Error Message When Grouping Dates Grouping: Error Message When Grouping Numbers Grouping the Items in a Report Filter Grouping: Error Message About Calculated Items Grouping Text Items Grouping Dates by Month Grouping Dates Using the Starting Date Grouping Dates by Fiscal Quarter Grouping Dates by Week Grouping Dates by Months and Weeks Grouping Dates in One Pivot Table Affects Another Pivot Table Grouping Dates Outside the Range Summarizing Formatted Dates Creating Multiple Values for a Field Displaying Multiple Value Fields Vertically Displaying Subtotals at the Bottom of a Group Preventing Subtotals from Appearing Creating Multiple Subtotals Showing Subtotals for Inner Row Labels Simulating an Additional Grand Total Hiding Specific Grand Totals Totaling Hours in a Time Field Displaying Hundredths of Seconds...121

8 CONTENTS ix CHAPTER 6 Modifying a Pivot Table Using Report Filters: Shifting Up When Adding Report Filters Using Report Filters: Arranging Fields Horizontally Using Values Fields: Changing Content in the Values Area Using Values Fields: Renaming Fields Using Values Fields: Arranging Vertically Using Values Fields: Fixing Source Data Number Fields Using Values Fields: Showing Text in the Values Area Using Pivot Fields: Adding Comments to Pivot Table Cells Using Pivot Fields: Collapsing Row Labels Using Pivot Fields: Collapsing All Items in the Selected Field Using Pivot Fields: Changing Field Names in the Source Data Using Pivot Fields: Clearing Old Items from Filter Lists Using Pivot Fields: Changing (Blank) Row and Column Labels Using Pivot Items: Showing All Months for Grouped Dates Using Pivot Items: Showing All Field Items Using Pivot Items: Hiding Items with No Data Using Pivot Items: Ignoring Trailing Spaces When Summarizing Data Using a Pivot Table: Allowing Drag-and-Drop Using a Pivot Table: Deleting the Entire Table CHAPTER 7 Updating a Pivot Table Using Source Data: Locating the Source Excel Table Using Source Data: Automatically Including New Data Using Source Data: Automatically Including New Data in an External Data Range Using Source Data: Moving the Source Excel Table Using Source Data: Changing the Source Excel Table Using Source Data: Locating the Source Access File Using Source Data: Changing the Source Access File Using Source Data: Changing the Source CSV File...147

9 x CONTENTS 7.9. Refreshing When a File Opens Preventing a Refresh When a File Opens Refreshing Every 30 Minutes Refreshing All Pivot Tables in a Workbook Stopping a Refresh in Progress Creating an OLAP-Based Pivot Table Causes Client Safety Options Error Message Refreshing a Pivot Table on a Protected Sheet Refreshing When Two Tables Overlap Refreshing Pivot Tables After Queries Have Been Executed Refreshing Pivot Tables: Defer Layout Update CHAPTER 8 Pivot Table Security, Limits, and Performance Security: Storing a Database Password Security: Enabling Data Connections Protection: Preventing Changes to a Pivot Table Protection: Disabling Show Report Filter Pages Privacy: Preventing Viewing of Others Data Understanding Limits: 16,384 Items in the Column Area Understanding Limits: Number of Records in the Source Data Improving Performance When Changing Layout Reducing File Size: Excel Data Source CHAPTER 9 Printing and Extracting Pivot Table Data Repeating Pivot Table Headings Setting the Print Area to Fit the Pivot Table Printing the Pivot Table for Each Report Filter Item Printing Field Items: Starting Each Item on a New Page Printing in Black and White Extracting Underlying Data for a Value Cell Re-creating the Source Data Table Formatting the Extracted Data Deleting Sheets Created by Extracted Data Using GetPivotData: Automatically Inserting a Formula Using GetPivotData: Turning Off Automatic Insertion of Formulas...178

10 CONTENTS xi Using GetPivotData: Referencing Pivot Tables in Other Workbooks Using GetPivotData: Using Cell References Instead of Text Strings Using GetPivotData: Using Cell References in an OLAP-Based Pivot Table Using GetPivotData: Using Cell References for Value Fields Using GetPivotData: Extracting Data for Blank Field Items Using GetPivotData: Preventing Errors for Missing Items Using GetPivotData: Preventing Errors for Custom Subtotals Using GetPivotData: Preventing Errors for Date References Using GetPivotData: Referring to a Pivot Table Creating Customized Pivot Table Copies CHAPTER 10 Pivot Charts Planning and Creating a Pivot Chart Quickly Creating a Pivot Chart Creating a Normal Chart from Pivot Table Data Filtering the Pivot Chart Changing the Series Order Changing Pivot Chart Layout Affects Pivot Table Changing Number Format in Pivot Table Affects Pivot Chart Formatting the Data Table Including Grand Totals in a Pivot Chart Converting a Pivot Chart to a Static Chart Showing Field Names on the Pivot Chart Refreshing the Pivot Chart Creating Multiple Series for Years Locating the Source Pivot Table Creating a Combination Pivot Chart Moving a Pivot Chart from a Chart Sheet Removing a Pivot Chart...204

11 xii CONTENTS CHAPTER 11 Programming a Pivot Table Using Sample Code Recording a Macro While Printing a Pivot Table Modifying Recorded Code Changing the Summary Function for All Value Fields Naming and Formatting the Show Details Sheet Automatically Deleting Worksheets When Closing a Workbook Changing the Report Filter Selection in Related Tables Removing Filters in a Pivot Field Changing Content in the Values Area Identifying a Pivot Table s Pivot Cache Changing a Pivot Table s Pivot Cache Refreshing a Pivot Table on a Protected Sheet Refreshing Automatically When Source Data Changes Setting a Minimum Width for Data Bars Preventing Selection of (All) in a Report Filter Disabling Pivot Field Drop-Downs Preventing Layout Changes in a Pivot Table Resetting the Print Area to Include the Entire Pivot Table Printing the Pivot Table for Each Report Filter Field Scrolling Through Report Filter Items on a Pivot Chart INDEX...237

12 About the Author DEBRA DALGLEISH is a computer consultant in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, serving local and international clients. Self-employed since 1985, she has extensive experience in designing complex Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access applications, as well as sophisticated Microsoft Word forms and documents. Debra has led hundreds of Microsoft Office corporate training sessions, from beginner to advanced level. In recognition of her contributions to the Excel newsgroups, Debra has been awarded a Microsoft Office Excel MVP each year since You can find a wide variety of Excel tips and tutorials, and sample files, on her Contextures web site at xiii

13 About the Technical Reviewer ROGER GOVIER is an independent IT consultant based in the UK, where he specializes in developing solutions for clients utilizing Excel worksheet functions and VBA programming. Following an Honours B.Sc. in Agricultural Economics and Business Management, Roger gained considerable hands-on management experience by running companies both for himself, and for other private and public companies. During this time Roger developed many accounting skills and focused on control through the better utilization of company data. Roger has been involved with computing from 1980 and, since 1997, most of his work has centered on Excel. Microsoft recently awarded Roger the prestigious Most Valuable Professional (MVP) status as recognition of his Excel skills and help to the community through newsgroups. xv

14 Acknowledgments Many people helped me as I worked on this book. Above all, love and thanks to Keith, who convinced me I could do it again, and to Jason, Sarah, Neven, and Dylan for providing a few hours of diversion from the task at hand. Thanks to the wonderful people at Apress: Dominic Shakeshaft, who helped develop the original book s concept and who edited a few chapters; my editor, Tom Welsh, whose input and support was much appreciated; and project manager Beth Christmas, who kept us all on track. Special thanks to Roger Govier, for his insightful comments and excellent suggestions during the technical review, and to Mandy and Jack for their generosity in sharing such a valuable resource (again). Thanks to my copy editor, Marcia Baker, who polished the text, and to production editor, Katie Stence, who made sure everything looked just right on the printed page. Many thanks to Dave Peterson, from whom I ve learned much about Excel programming, and who graciously commented on some of the code for this book. Thanks to Jon Peltier, who convinced me to start writing about pivot tables, and who is always willing to exchange ideas and humor. Thanks also to Ron Coderre and Tom Ogilvy, who generously shared their creative code. Thanks to all those who ask questions and provide answers in the Microsoft Excel newsgroups, and who were the inspiration for many of the recipes in this book. Thanks to my clients, who remained patient as I juggled projects and writing, and who continue to challenge me with interesting assignments, especially when pivot tables are part of the solution. Finally, thanks to my parents, Doug and Shirley McConnell, and my sister, Nancy Nelson, for their continued love and support. And thanks also to Brad, Robert, and Jeffrey Nelson for checking all those bookstores. xvii

15 Introduction Excel s pivot tables are a powerful tool for analyzing data. With only a few minutes of work, a new user can create an attractively formatted table that summarizes thousands of rows of data. This book assumes you know the basics of Excel 2007 and pivot tables, and it provides troubleshooting tips and techniques, as well as programming examples. Who This Book Is For This book is for anyone who uses pivot tables, and who only reads the manual when all else fails. It s designed to help you understand the advanced features and options that are available, as you need them. If you re familiar with pivot tables in previous versions of Excel, this book may help you apply the new features introduced in Excel Experiment with pivot tables, and if you get stuck, search for the problem in this book. With luck, you ll find a solution, a workaround, or, occasionally, confirmation that pivot tables can t do what you want them to do. How This Book Is Structured Chapters 1 to 10 contain manual solutions to common pivot table problems, and they alert you to the situations where no known solution exists. Chapter 11 has sample code, for those who prefer a programming solution to their pivot table problems, and for the settings that can only be adjusted programmatically. The following is a brief summary of the material contained in each chapter. Chapter 1, Creating a Pivot Table: Issues you should consider when planning a pivot table and preparing the source data. Using data from multiple worksheets. Creating an Excel Table from the source data and understanding the new PivotTable Field List. Chapter 2, Sorting and Filtering Pivot Table Data: Understanding how data sorts in a pivot table, creating custom sort orders, and ensuring new items sort correctly. Filtering labels for text, dates, and values; applying multiple filters to a field; filtering for top items; and applying dynamic filters. Chapter 3, Calculations in a Pivot Table: Using the summary functions and custom calculations, creating calculated items and calculated fields to expand the built-in capabilities, modifying formulas, listing all formulas, and adjusting the solve order. xix

16 xx INTRODUCTION Chapter 4, Formatting a Pivot Table: Applying and customizing PivotTable Styles, retaining formatting, applying Report Layouts, and formatting numbers. Applying conditional formatting, such as data bars, icon sets, and color scales. Chapter 5, Grouping and Totaling Pivot Table Data: Grouping dates, to compare results by year, quarter, month, or week. Grouping numbers or text labels, to summarize data. Preventing errors when grouping dates or numbers, creating multiple subtotals, and displaying multiple values for a field. Chapter 6, Modifying a Pivot Table: Changing the pivot table layout, showing all items for a field, clearing old items from the field drop-downs, hiding items with no data, and allowing drag-and-drop in the worksheet layout. Chapter 7, Updating a Pivot Table: Refreshing the pivot table, refreshing automatically, reconnecting to the source data, locating and changing the source data, and deferring a layout update. Chapter 8, Pivot Table Security, Limits, and Performance: Preventing users from changing the pivot table layout, connecting to a passwordprotected data source, using security features, addressing privacy issues, and understanding pivot table limits. Chapter 9, Printing and Extracting Pivot Table Data: Printing headings on every page, adjusting the print area, and starting each item on a new page. Using the Show Details feature to extract underlying records, using the GetPivotData worksheet function to extract pivot table data, turning off the GetPivotData feature, and using cell references in GetPivotData formulas. Chapter 10, Pivot Charts: Planning and creating a pivot chart, creating normal charts from pivot table data, creating multiple series for years, creating a combination chart, and locating the source pivot table. Chapter 11, Programming a Pivot Table: Recording and using macros, modifying recorded code. Sample code for automatically deleting created sheets, changing report filters in related pivot tables, preventing layout changes, refreshing automatically when source data changes, and identifying and changing the pivot cache.

17 INTRODUCTION xxi Prerequisites The solutions in this book are written for Microsoft Excel A working knowledge of Excel 2007 is assumed, as is familiarity with pivot table basics. Sample code is provided in Chapter 11, and some programming experience may be required to adjust the code to conform to your workbook setup. For an introduction to pivot tables in Excel 2007, see Beginning Pivot Tables in Excel 2007, by Debra Dalgleish; Apress, Downloading the Code Sample workbooks and code are available for download from the Apress web site at Contacting the Author You can send comments to the author at ddalgleish@contextures.com and visit her Contextures web site at

18 CHAPTER 1 Creating a Pivot Table Even though you ve likely created many pivot tables in Microsoft Excel, you sometimes encounter problems while setting them up. You may be familiar with creating pivot tables in Excel 2003, but you have upgraded to Excel 2007, and you can t find all the familiar commands and option settings. After you create a pivot table, perhaps its layout isn t as flexible as you d like, or perhaps you have trouble connecting to the data source you want to use. This chapter discusses the issues you can consider as you plan the pivot table, set up the source data, and connect to the source. Other topics include working with data on separate worksheets, and using the PivotTable Field List Planning a Pivot Table: Getting Started Problem You ve been asked to create a pivot table to summarize your company s sales data, and you aren t sure what issues to consider before you create it. You ve created pivot tables before, but this one will be used in an executive presentation, and you want to ensure that the pivot table is going to work smoothly and be problem-free. Solution If you spend some time planning, you can create a pivot table that is easier to maintain and that clearly delivers the information your customers need. When planning a pivot table, you should consider several things, as the following outlines. Where Is the Source Data Stored? Many pivot tables are created from a single Excel Table, usually in the same workbook as the pivot table. Others are created from an external source, such as a database query, or online analytical processing (OLAP) cube. To create a meaningful pivot table, you need current, accurate data. Is the source data in your workbook updated by you on a regular basis? Or is the source data stored elsewhere? If others are using the pivot table, and the data is not stored in the workbook, will they have access to the source data when they want to refresh the pivot table? If the source data is password protected, will all users know the password? 1

19 2 CHAPTER 1 CREATING A PIVOT TABLE How Frequently Will the Source Data Be Updated? If the source data will be updated frequently, you may want a routine that automatically refreshes the pivot table when the workbook is opened. If the data is stored outside the workbook, and updated occasionally, will you be notified that the data has changed and that you need to refresh the pivot table? Does the Source Data Include All the Information You Need? The source data may contain all the information that you want in the pivot table. However, you may need to report on other fields. For example, if variance from actual to budget is required in the pivot table, is variance a field in the source data? If not, you ll need to calculate that in the pivot table, or add variance to the fields in the source data. If fields are missing from the source data, can they be calculated at the source, or will they be calculated in the pivot table? Adding calculations to a large pivot table may cause any updates to be very slow, and they may have different results than doing line calculations in the source data Planning a Shared Pivot Table Problem As part of the annual budget process, you ve been asked to create a pivot table that summarizes the previous year s sales data and make the results available to other employees. Although you ve made several pivot tables for your own use, you aren t sure what to consider when making a pivot table for wider distribution. Solution If a pivot table is to be shared with others, here are some things to consider. Will All Users Need the Same Level of Detail? Some users may require a top-level summary of the data. For example, the senior executives may want to see a total per region for annual sales. Other users may require greater detail. The regional directors may want to see the data totaled by district, or by sales representative. Sales representatives may need the data totaled by customer, or by product number. If the requirements are varied, you may want to create multiple pivot tables, each one focused on the needs of a particular user group. If that s not possible, you ll want to create a pivot table that s easy to navigate, and adaptable for each user group s needs. Is the Information Sensitive? Often, a pivot table is based on sensitive data. For example, the source data may contain sales results and commission figures for all the sales representatives. If you create a pivot table from the data, assume that anyone who can open the workbook will be able to view all the data. Even if you protect the worksheet and the workbook, the data won t be secure. Some passwords can be easily cracked, allowing the protection to be bypassed. This weakness is described in Excel s Help files, under the heading, Protect worksheet or workbook elements.

20 CHAPTER 1 CREATING A PIVOT TABLE 3 It includes the warning, Element protection cannot protect a workbook from users who have malicious intent. When requiring a password to open the workbook, use a strong password, as described in the Microsoft article Strong Passwords: How to Create and Use Them, at protect/yourself/password/create.mspx. Note A strong password contains a mixture of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters (such as $ and %), and is at least six characters long. For sensitive and confidential data, the pivot table should only be based on the data that each user is entitled to view. You can create multiple Excel Tables, in separate workbooks, and create individual pivot tables from those. It requires more time to set these up, but it is worthwhile to ensure that privacy concerns are addressed. You can use macros and naming conventions to standardize the source data and the pivot tables, and to minimize the work required to create the individual copies. Another option is to use secured network folders to store the workbook, where only authorized users can access the data. Also available in Excel 2007 is Information Rights Management, a file-protection technology that enables you to assign permissions to users or groups. For example, some users can have Read permission only and won t be able to edit, copy, or print the file contents. Other users, with Change permission, can edit and save changes. You can also set expiry dates for the permissions to limit access to a specific time period. To learn more about Information Rights Management, see Excel s Help files, and check out Information Rights Management in the 2007 Microsoft Office system at The Security for the 2007 Office System article discusses the security technologies available in Excel, as well as other Office programs, in the downloadable Word file available at go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid= Will the Information Be Shared in Printed or Electronic Format? If the information will be shared in printed format only, the security issues are minimized. You can control what s printed and issued to each recipient. If the information is to be shared electronically, it s crucial that confidential data not be included in any pivot table that s being distributed to multiple users. Will the Pivot Table Be in a Shared Workbook? Many features are unavailable in a shared workbook, including creating or changing a pivot table or pivot chart. Users will be able to view your pivot table, but they won t be able to rearrange the fields or select different items from the drop-down lists. If the workbook contains a formatted Excel Table, it cannot be shared, so you wouldn t be able to use this feature as a source for your pivot table. As described in Section 1.4, a formatted Excel Table offers many benefits, such as automatically expanding to include new rows. In a shared workbook, you would need another method of ensuring that all new data is included in the pivot table s source data.

21 4 CHAPTER 1 CREATING A PIVOT TABLE Also, protection can t be changed in a shared workbook, so you can t run macros that unprotect the worksheet, make changes, and then reprotect the worksheet. Will Users Enable Macros in Your Workbook? If your pivot table requires macros for some functionality, will users have the ability to enable macros? In some environments, they may not be able to use macros. Will that have a serious impact on the value of your pivot table? 1.3. Preparing the Source Data: Using Excel Data Problem The sales manager sent you an Excel workbook that contains last year s sales orders, and wants you to create a pivot table to summarize the data. You had problems with the last pivot table you created and couldn t get the totals you wanted. To avoid similar problems this time, before creating the pivot table, you want to ensure the data is set up correctly. This problem is based on the sample file named ProductSales.xlsx. Solution Probably the most common data source for a pivot table is Excel data, in the same workbook as the pivot table. The data may be contained in only a few rows of records or there may be thousands of rows. No matter how much data there is, some common requirements exist when preparing to create a pivot table from the Excel data. Organizing the Data in Rows and Columns The Excel data should be organized in a table of rows and columns, as shown in Figure 1-1. This shows the first few rows of data from the sample file named ProductSales.xlsx. Figure 1-1. Data organized in a table of rows and columns Each column in the source data must have a heading. You will be unable to create a pivot table if any of the heading cells are blank. No completely blank rows should be within the source data.

22 CHAPTER 1 CREATING A PIVOT TABLE 5 No completely blank columns can be within the source data. Each column must contain at least an entry in the heading cell. If you need the column to appear blank, you can type a heading, such as Blank1, and format the font with a color that matches the cell fill color. Tip Select a cell in the source data, and then while holding down the Ctrl key, press the A key to select the current region. If all the source data isn t selected, blank rows or columns are probably within the data. Locate and delete them, or enter data in them. Each column should contain the same type of data. In Figure 1-1, Column G contains sales amounts in currency. Column C contains region names in text. Column A contains order dates. Create a separate column for each type of data that you want to analyze in the pivot table. For example, put City and State in separate columns, instead of storing City and State together, in one column. This lets you view totals by either city or state in the pivot table. The source data should be separated from any other data on the worksheet, with at least one blank row, and one blank column between it and the other data. Ideally, have only the source data on the worksheet, and move other data to a separate worksheet. If rows or columns within the source data are manually hidden, you can leave them hidden. The pivot table will be based on all rows and columns, whether they re hidden or visible. Tip If columns are hidden, check that they contain data in the heading cells, or you won t be able to create a pivot table from the source data. Removing Totals and Subtotals Remove any total calculations at the top or bottom of the source data, or separate the calculations from the data by inserting one or more blank rows. If the Subtotal feature is turned on in the source data, remove the subtotals. If your source data has automatic subtotals, you ll get an error message when you try to create the pivot table. The Subtotal command is on the Ribbon s Data tab. Remove any manually entered subtotals within the source data, to prevent inaccurate totals in the pivot table. If the source data has a filter applied, you can leave it on. The pivot table will be based on all data, whether it s hidden or visible.

23 6 CHAPTER 1 CREATING A PIVOT TABLE Creating an Excel Table from the Worksheet Data As a final step in preparing the Excel source data, you should format the worksheet data as an Excel Table, to activate special features in the source data, such as the capability to automatically extend formulas as new rows are added to the end of the existing data. Instructions for creating an Excel Table are in Section Preparing the Source Data: Creating an Excel Table Problem You ve just upgraded from Excel 2003, where you used the Excel List feature to prepare your data for use as pivot table source data. You ve discovered that the List feature is no longer available, and you want to find an equivalent feature in Excel This problem is based on the sample file named ProductSales.xlsx. Solution In Excel 2007, you can create a formatted Excel Table from the data. This replaces the Excel List feature found in Excel 2003, and it includes many new features that will make pivot table creation and updating easier. To create the Excel Table, organize your data in rows and columns, as described in Section 1.3. Then follow these steps to create the Excel Table. 1. Select a cell in the source data, and on the Ribbon, click the Insert tab. 2. In the Tables group, click the Table command (see Figure 1-2). Figure 1-2. The Table command on the Insert tab of the Ribbon 3. In the Create Table dialog box, confirm that the correct range is shown for the table, and then select a different range if necessary. 4. Leave the check mark in the box for My Table Has Headers, and then click OK. When it s created, the Excel Table is given a default name, such as Table1. You can rename the formatted Excel Table, so it will be easy to identify each table if multiple Excel Tables are in the workbook. This helps to ensure that you select the correct source data when you re creating pivot tables. To name the Excel Table, follow these instructions.

24 CHAPTER 1 CREATING A PIVOT TABLE 7 1. Select a cell in the formatted Excel Table, and on the Ribbon, click the Design tab. 2. At the left end of the Ribbon, in the Properties group, type a one-word name, such as SalesData, in the Table Name box (see Figure 1-3). Figure 1-3. Table Name in the Properties group How It Works Using the Excel Table feature makes it easier to maintain the source data for a pivot table. In an Excel Table, if you add rows or columns, the new data is automatically included when you update the pivot table. If you base a pivot table on unformatted source data, new rows or columns may not be detected, and you would have to manually adjust the source data range each time new data is added, or create a dynamic range in the Name Manager. Or, you might forget to adjust the source data range to include the new data, and the pivot table could then show inaccurate results. If you add columns to an Excel Table, column headings, such as Column1, are automatically added for you. This feature ensures you won t see errors caused by blank heading cells if you try to create or update a pivot table based on the Excel Table. You can change the default column headings to something more descriptive, if you prefer. Another advantage of using a formatted Excel Table is this: the column headings remain visible when you scroll down the worksheet. This makes identifying the columns easier as you work in a large Excel Table. When the heading row is no longer visible on the worksheet, the column headings are displayed in the column buttons at the top of the worksheet. An Excel Table s heading cells contain drop-down lists that let you quickly and easily sort and filter the data in the table. This feature can help you review the data before creating a pivot table or when troubleshooting a pivot table. For example, you can sort the values, to quickly spot the highest and lowest amounts in the table, or you can filter the data to view one region s sales records. Note The drop-down filter lists are only available when the heading row of the Excel Table is visible. Press Ctrl+Home to return to the top-left cell.

25 8 CHAPTER 1 CREATING A PIVOT TABLE 1.5. Preparing the Source Data: Excel Field Names Not Valid Problem You entered your company s sales order data on an Excel worksheet, and you want to create a pivot table from that data. On the Ribbon s Insert tab, you clicked the PivotTable command, and selected a source range in the Create PivotTable dialog box. When you clicked the OK button, a confusing error message appeared: The PivotTable field name is not valid. To create a PivotTable report, you must use data that is organized as a list with labeled columns. If you are changing the name of a PivotTable field, you must type a new name for the field. You haven t named any fields, and you aren t sure what the message means. This problem is based on the sample file named FieldNames.xlsx. Solution One or more of the heading cells in the source data may be blank and, to create a pivot table, you need a heading for each column. To locate the problem, try the following: In the Create PivotTable dialog box, check the Table/Range selection carefully to ensure you haven t selected extra columns that are blank. Check for hidden columns within the source data range, as they may have blank heading cells. Select each heading cell and view its contents in the formula bar; text from one heading may overlap a blank cell beside it. Unmerge any merged cells in the heading row. Tip If you create a formatted Excel Table from your Excel data, as described in Section 1.4, column headings are automatically entered for columns where there are blank heading cells Preparing the Source Data: Using Filtered Excel Data Problem The district manager for the Central district asked you to create a pivot table with the data for that district only. You filtered the sales order data, so only the records for the Central region are visible on the worksheet. When you created the pivot table, using the filtered range as the source, all the regions records were included, instead of just the visible records for the Central region. This problem is based on the sample file named Filter.xlsx.

26 CHAPTER 1 CREATING A PIVOT TABLE 9 Solution A pivot table includes all the items from the source data, even if the data has an AutoFilter or Advanced Filter applied, or if rows or columns have been manually hidden. Instead of filtering the list in place, you could use an Advanced Filter to extract specific records to another workbook, and then base the pivot table on the extracted data Preparing the Source Data: Using an Excel Table with Monthly Columns Problem The district managers sent you their year-end sales data, and you copied it from the separate workbooks into one sheet in a new workbook, so you can create a pivot table to summarize all the data. The worksheet has a column for each month (see Figure 1-4), and you re having trouble creating a flexible pivot table from this source data. Each month becomes a separate field in the PivotTable Field List, and getting the layout you want in the pivot table and creating annual totals is difficult. Figure 1-4 shows the data from the sample file named MonthlyData.xlsx. Figure 1-4. Data organized in monthly columns Solution When organizing your source data, decide how you want to summarize the data in the pivot table. What headings would you like to show at the left, as Row Labels? What headings should appear across the top of the pivot table, as Column Labels? What numbers do you want to sum? Using the data shown in Figure 1-4, you might want to summarize the data for each product, for each month, and create an annual total. The products names are listed in Column A, with the column heading Product. Product will become a field name when you create a pivot table, and the product names will be items in the Product field. In the pivot table, you could add the Product field to the Row Labels area, and the product names would be listed there. However, the columns with month names as headings, such as Jan and Feb, will cause problems when you create the pivot table. Each month will be a separate field, and the values in its column will be the items in that field. If each month is a separate field, the pivot table will not automatically create a total for the year; you would have to create a calculation for the annual total.